Improvement in furnaces for evaporating alkaline solutions



J. KITCHEN. V FURNACES FOR EVAPOR'A'IING ALKALINE sowwrous No.186,'34.-9. Patented, Jan. 16,1877,

JOHN KITCHEN, on MANA'YUNK, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIcNoR.

-1\TITED same T0 HIMSELF AND URIAH G. ALLEN, OF SANDY HILL, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT-IN FURNACES FOR EVAPORATING ALKALINE SOLUTIONS- Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. I 86,349, dated January 16, 1877; application filed August 30, 1876.

.furnace, between which and the roofB is the evaporating'chamber D, and on each side of the latter are the working-holes or, provided with suitable doors. E is the fire-place, F the ashpit, and G the chimney.

The alkaline solutiouto be evaporated may be contained in a well near the furnace,or in an elevated tank, and may be forced by any suitable pump into the pipe H, from which extend two branches, H and H, passing through the furnace into the evaporatingchamber,'the former near the front and the latter near the rear end of the calcining-bed A. The branch H terminates in a rose, 12, and the branch H terminates in a similar rose, b.

The alkaline solution is caused to pass through the branches H and H alternately, the operation being conducted in the followingmanner: The solution is first forced throu gb the branch H, and, on issuing from the rose 1), is brought into direct contact with the heated products of combustion from the furnace,

thus causing the partial evaporation of the solution, the alkali falling in flakes onto the front portion of the calcining-bed. When a snflicient quantity ofthis partially-calcined alkali has accumulated, the flow of solution through the branch H is cut off, and, while the alkali on the front portion of the bed is being properly manipulated to finish the calcining operation and remove the product, the solution is forced through the branch H and rose 1), and by the time the alkali on the front of the furnace has been calcined and removed a sufficientquantity of partially-calcined alkali will have accumulated at the rear end of the bed A, to permit the stoppage of the flow of cilitates the evaporation of the solution at the opposite end.

I propose, in cases where petroleum is available and cheap, to use it as a fuel, either alone or in connection with other fuel, for whichpurpose I arrange near the fireplace a pipe, I, through which a blast of air is forced through any suitable blower. A pipe, K, from a tank, J, of petroleum meets the air-pipe I at the vertical pipe M, and from thelatter pipe extends a branch, m, into the fire-place, and another branch, it, may, if desired, extend into the ash-pit, both pipes terminating in nozzles, through which air and petroleum combined are projected. Any of the jet arrangements used for burning petroleum in furnaces may be used in connection with the pipes m n.

As pumping appliances will, in most cases, be required in conducting the process, and as a blowing-machine may be necessary in some cases, I combine with the furnace a steamboiler, N, the bottom of which forms part of the roof of the fire-place, the steam generated in the boiler being used for the engine which drives the pumps and blower. V

Pipes T and J may extend from the air-pipe one to the chimney for the purpose of increasing the draft, the other passing through the roof of the furnace above the bridgewall, so as to insure the thorough ignition of the products of combustion as they pass over the said bridgewall. i

I claim as my invention- The combination of an evaporating-furnace, In testimony whereof I have signed my having a bed, A, fire-place E, and chimney G name to this specification in the presence of with the distributing-nozzlesb and b,arranged two subscribing witnesses. above opposite ends of the bed, as described, JOHN KITCHEN. Wherebythe evaporating and calcining processes may both be carried on at the same time at said opposite ends alternately.

Witnesses:

HENRY HowsoN, Jr., HUBER-T Howson. 

